Radiologists examine mammography images to diagnose various abnormalities in a breast. When examining these images on a mammography computer system, physicians typically only desire to look at the breast image and not any of the background. Currently, physicians must manually adjust the zoom factor when viewing a mammography image so as to fill the viewing area with the breast image. This process of manual adjustment is inconvenient and time-consuming for radiologists. Thus, it is desirable to provide a method of defining a breast window on an image containing a breast, such that the breast window can fill the entirety of the viewing area.
One attempt at defining a breast window may involve employing traditional edge detection techniques on mammography images to identify the breast boundary, and forming a breast window around the identified breast boundary. Such attempt, however, requires the use of edge detection techniques that are mathematically and computationally intensive, thereby reducing the performance and responsiveness of breast window definition. The resultant delay in adjusting the viewing area to that of a breast window negatively impacts the examining physician's experience, and may cause inconvenience and frustration for the radiologist. The breast window definition is thus desired to be both accurate and efficient.